Change
by TurtlesBeCool
Summary: So far just an idea and with other ongoing stories I'm not sure how much attention I will give this at first. But I will do more with it since I feel good about it. Elena is changed a lot earlier and not by any of the brothers. A different take on TVD. Rated T for now.


I was standing there, looking at the spitting image of myself, with no idea how or why this stranger looked like me. And not just in a, similar features kind of deal, no she was an exact copy. The same brown eyes, the same dark hair, except for a lock of deep red.

"Who are you?" I asked, scared and confused at the same time. The wind picked up and a low rumble could be heard in the distance. She didn't answer me though. She narrowed her eyes and looked me up and down for a while. "What do you want?" I tried again and got the same result. She then lifted one hand and brushed the back of her nail down my right cheek, only once she made contact did she speak.

"This is truly interesting" She said, more to herself than me, like she was trying to take in the same sensations I was. Looking at yourself without the use of a mirror felt odd. Very odd. Uncanny valley turned to eleven. Odd and strange indeed. Yet despite our exact match it didn't feel right. That feeling you get when looking at a picture of yourself, knowing that it's you in it, but still getting the feeling of looking.. Off, to your own eyes. This was the same, only tenfold.

She started walking around me letting her hand slide from my cheek, down to my collarbone and across my neck to the opposite shoulder. Examining my body, her body? I didn't even know anymore. My drink had to have been spiked with something, I was hallucinating. It was the only reasonable explanation to my current situation. But the more her hands slid around my body the more responsive I felt to it. That couldn't be from a spiked drink. My eyes fell shut, focusing only on her hand roaming around, it slid from shoulder down my ribs on the left. It curled around my hip and across my left lower cheek, an explorative squeeze drew out a gasp from my throat. "I think I'm going to love this little town" a low voice and chuckle resounded behind me as I almost dropped the red plastic cup. I turned around to face the girl who was groping me only to find darkened eyes, pale black-veined skin and sharp teeth. I barely managed to think about how stupid it was to leave the clearing where the party was happening, but Matt was a jerk tonight, and this new Stefan was getting a little too close a little too fast. I screamed and passed out.

The morning after I was tucked in bed, Caroline sitting next to my bed worried.

"Thank god you're awake. We found you passed out with blood all over your neck and shoulder. What were you doing out there by yourself?" She choked out with glassy eyes peering at me for answers.

"I… I don't know exactly what happened. I had a fight with Matt, met someone named Stefan…" she intervened once I mentioned that name, "He was the one who found you" and then she shut up again letting me continue, "After I had talked to him for a while I went to clear my head and then… I don't know, it was weird, I was just walking and then suddenly, a girl who looked exactly like me was just there in front of me." I lamely explained, it sounded dumb when I said it out loud.

"Was she the one who did this?" She snapped angrily, not at me of course I could tell as much, but anger towards whoever hurt me. Now that I though about it I didn't feel any pain from where I was apparently wounded. Yet lifting my hand to the side of my neck I could feel the tape and dressing, a large square cut in gauze to soak up the bleeding. Prodding at it I could feel a slight pain erupt through my neck, it wasn't mind-numbing, it was closer related to slight discomfort than it was pain. I pushed myself back on the bed leaning myself on the headboard, still with the large quilt over the lower half of my body. It felt strangely more complex than ever, like I could feel every single individual down inside it. I groaned as I was about to answer Caroline, but my eyes went unfocused for the briefest of moments before I felt sick, throwing-up-sick. I tried to move out of the bed, throwing the comforter off my legs. But landing on the floor made me realize how little strength was left in my body, so I collapsed on the floor and expulsed some of last nights contents, right there on the floor. I didn't register Caroline even moving until I felt myself get hauled up from the floor and towards the bathroom. The room was dark enough to not reveal too much of the mess I made, thankfully. I was deposited on the toilet with my head leaning onto the wall to my right. Caroline left me there for some time, I don't know how long, everything was blurry and moving slowly. I felt hungry, but not hungry. Strong, yet weak. I heard the tiniest of sounds while having ears full of water muffling them all.

My body responded to some outside force before long, and I felt myself trudging slowly towards the sounds of Caroline cleaning the floor with a wet cloth and a bucket of soapy water. I still felt weak but seeing her on all fours in a loose t-shirt suddenly had my mouth watering. I traced the low hanging opening of the top of shirt, her breast was tightly bound in her bra, only letting them jiggle slightly with each circling motion made by her cleaning. I never considered myself into women, but something primal in me was begging to be unleashed. I could feel it in my stomach, in my fingers and my feet. I breathed in through my nose and was hit by the most delicious scent I'd ever had the pleasure of smelling. Warm iron-y and sweet. Then my ears focused, a low pulse thrumming was all I heard. At last my weak state fell away as I began walking silently toward Caroline. She was looking at me confused, her mouth was moving without sound, and her worry came back with full force when I didn't respond. She tossed the rag into the bucket and dried her hands in a towel she had brought along with her. Only when she stood, and I got closer did my senses return to something akin to normal. Well, as normal as it was to feel the entire left side of my body burning. As soon as I turned my head to the newly opened window and the blinds pulled open did I understand something was seriously wrong.

The smell of burning skin invaded my nose. In a split second I was back in the bathroom with my back pushed up against broken tiles. I looked at my bare left arm and noticed the reddening of my skin slowly fade to my regular skin color. Caroline's footsteps brought my attention away from myself, she stood there, in the white framed doorway looking utterly lost as to what just happened. I could only imagine a similar look on my own face. What the hell was going on?

"Elena?" She timidly called.

"Yeah?" I answered with half a mind, still reeling from all the new strange sensations I felt.

"What happened to you last night?" She took hesitant steps towards me, holding out a hand, like you would do to a frightened animal.

"I don't know." I said looking down at my hands for a brief second and then looked at myself in the mirror. That's when I truly knew something had fundamentally changed within me, because the reflection wasn't me. It was the same face as the girl from the night before. The same pale complexion and dark lines. Red and black eyes stared back at me filled to the brim with horror.

"Listen.. Elena, I'm kind of freaking out right now. What's going on?" Caroline hadn't stopped advancing on me, but her movements were sluggish. Perhaps her mind hadn't caught up yet. With the way I looked right now, if I had been in Caroline's place I'd be running, screaming at the top of my lungs. But she was calmly freaking out.

"I TOLD YOU! I DON'T KNOW!" I said frustrated and moved closer to the sink. Putting both hands on the edge of it, leaning closer to the mirror to inspect my face. My sclera, the white of the eye, was red. My pupils dilated and pitch black. My skin pale and ashy, with protruding dark veins, mainly around my eyes and across my cheekbones. They looked a little like cat whiskers. My lips had lost some of their usual rose coloring. It all looked fake, yet I knew I had no make-up on, I could feel as much. I was so lost in thought that a hand on my shoulder had me flinging myself away. Again, it only took a fraction of a second to move several feet across the bathroom. I curled into myself a little, bared my fangs, and hissed holding Caroline's scared gaze for a few seconds as my stance dawned on me. I felt like a predator about to hunt my prey. Wait, did I just say fangs? My hand went up and reached for my teeth. A slow exploring prod confirmed my suspicion. A large animal-like fang was right there, stuck to my gums and rest of my skull. I pulled out my finger and curled further into myself, realization finally dawning on me. All the clues were there.

Caroline had stepped back, but only a single step. Her hand flew to her mouth and a few tears formed in the corner of her eyes. Her beautiful blue eyes, crying. Not for herself, but for me it seemed judging by her words.

"Oh god, I'm so, so sorry Elena." She exclaimed and rushed towards me, throwing both arms around me and pulling me close. The scent was so strong when she was this close and I knew what it was, I could just bite and it would all stop. But the affection I felt from my best friend bubbled underneath my skin and I felt my face relax, the fangs slowly shrinking down to my usual canines' size. I wrapped my own arms around her holding her close as the emotions I felt overwhelmed me for several minutes.

"We're gonna figure this out Elena, don't worry" She said with determination lacing every word.

"Is this really happening?" I asked her just to make sure.

"I think it is, but look," she pointed to the large mirror, "I have my beautiful best friend back." She giggled lightly which did wonders for my own mood. It relaxed me to no end how collected and calm Caroline always was in whatever situation she found herself in. That apparently included finding out your best friend is now a freaking vampire. Vampire. I mulled the word over a few times before picking myself up from the floor and took a few tentative steps to stand in front of the mirror. I had my eyes closed as I approached it and held out my hands. Feeling blindly for the porcelain of the sink and placing myself in front of the mirror once my palms made contact. With a deep shuddering exhale, I opened my eyes again, seeing the usual Elena staring back. I sighed in joy, at least I wouldn't look like a corpse all the time.

"I thought vampires didn't have reflections." Caroline mused beside me, tilting her head enough to lean it slightly on my shoulder.

"Huh? I guess you're right. The sun still wasn't pleasant though" I laughed, and the dread hit me, "FUCK! The sun Caroline, I can't go to school like this!" I exclaimed and knocked her away accidentally as I turned faster than I intended.

"Ow! Careful!" She angrily muttered and rubbed her chin, "I'll cover for you, we need to know what rumors are real and which isn't. I'll go draw all the blinds I'll call in a few." She said and kissed my cheek, "We're going to get through this, don't worry!" She said enthusiastically and ran off.

That gave me a little time to survey the bathroom, the dent I made in the wall surprised me now that I could focus on it. At the moment it had felt like any other time I had leaned a little too roughly against a wall, except this time it wasn't me who was bruised, the wall was. An imprint of broken tiles the same size as me adorned the wall like bad decoration. Next to the toilet I had ripped the toilet roll holder off the wall, yet hadn't even registered I had hit it. I shouldn't have found it as odd as I did. All I knew about vampires was from fairy tales, yet something was always common. Strength, check. Speed, check. Heightened senses, check. Burning rays of sun, check. So far only the reflection part was different. I started going through the list of stuff I knew about vampires before Caroline called.

"Alright you can come down now!" She yelled from the living room downstairs. I made my way out of the bedroom and into the hallway. My footsteps were silent, another perk of vampirism I concluded. As I got closer to the stairs the same smell from when I observed Caroline and hugged her came back and I could feel my gums around the fangs starting to itch.

"Care-bear. I need you to leave!" I yelled down the stairs, not wanting to risk getting closer again.

"Are you insane? I can't let you be alone right now!" She yelled back, and I could hear her steps getting closer.

"NOW CAROLINE!" I growled, literally growled, as I peered around the corner down the stairs digging my fingers into the wall to keep myself in place. She was standing just at the bottom about to take the first step onto it. He eyes widened as she took in my changed appearance again. Then they narrowed as the pieces fell into place in her mind. Determined she nodded once and called back, "I'll come back with something to… Eat? Drink? Before nightfall" and with that she powerwalked out of the house leaving me all alone in a darkened house.

It got boring after long time of trying to shut out all the sounds I now heard, all the scents I smelled, all the small dents in the floor and table I could now see. At some point I got the hang of numbing my senses even if they were still much stronger than my human versions were, it was now bearable to walk around normally. The sensation of air moving over my skin was still strong, and in the end, I didn't figure out how to shut that out. I just had to deal with it for now. Curiosity then struck me while I was sitting on the couch trying to feel the strength in my body. It didn't feel as if I had gotten faster or stronger. It was only when I crushed a glass in my hands and when I opened the cabinet to grab a new one only to rip the cabinet door off its hinges, did I notice the increased power I had inside me.

So, I sat on the couch, trying not to move which turned out to be incredibly easy. I sat there just staring at the stuff around the room. The large bookshelf spanning the entire right wall from where I was sitting. My back was to the kitchen and entrance hallway. In front of me was the tv, coffee table and a shelf with knickknacks picked up from road trips with Jeremy. Oh god! Jeremy! How is he going to react to me? No, no he can't know. I must hide it. What if he wants to go outside?

The sun can't be that bad can it? Curiosity piqued, I went to the nearest blinded window, the one left of the tv. Stood in front of it, gathering my nerves. I took one hand and parted the blinds, my fingers doing the action immediately started burning, so I quickly pulled them back into the comfort of the shadows. Alright, the sun is bad, very bad. That really puts a dampener on my mood, no more cheerleading, no more watching the games, no more school. What the hell was I going to do now? I ended up testing myself in all kinds of ways while waiting for Caroline to return.

* * *

I had been driving for a few minutes before I roughly pulled my car up onto the sidewalk, tumbling out landing on all fours, heaving for air in a panic. Everything had stunned me into 'focus-mode', but now that I'd had a little time to reflect I just realized what I had told Elena. I would bring blood, to my best friend, so she could drink it! What the fuck just happened? Yesterday we were talking about our senior year and after-graduation plans. Now I was driving around to gather supplies, so I could take care of my vampire BFF. Once I felt calm again I climbed into the drivers' seat and made my way towards Bonnie, I can't keep this from her.

Bonnie was already standing in the doorway, talking to a handsome young man as I arrived. My car door slamming shut brought both parties attention towards me. Bonnie waved happily, "Hey Caroline, what brings you here today?" She smirked.

"I need to talk to you about Elena! Oh it's you!" I first addressed Bonnie then Stefan who I only recognized as I got closer.

"Yes, me. I just came to ask Bonnie for a favor concerning your mutual friend Elena." He bowed slightly, talking slowly and calmly.

"Wait! So you know about.. Her condition?" I asked slowly, to which he only smiled and nodded once.

"I have something I need to tell you too. But this Elena deal has me intrigued, I just thought this poor shmuck was looking for her just to get laid. I had half a mind sending him to the next town over." Bonnie said amused which had me perking up again.

"You're not going to believe it Bonnie." I stated ramatically, it was obvious she wouldn't. I wouldn't if I hadn't witnessed it first-hand.

"This guy just said the same, but I'm afraid I can think of a few things already, none of them good." Bonnie sadly sighed. And Stefan cleared his throat politely, "Maybe it would be best to take this inside?" He asked.

Bonnie nodded and opened the front door fully, walking in with Me hot at her heels. Only when we stopped inside the hallway and Bonnie was about to close the door did we notice Stefan still standing outside the door. "Are you going to invite me in or shall I just stand here looking pretty?" He laughed, with an undertone of caution.

"You mean…" I started but Bonnies loud voice broke through my loud thoughts, "Of course, please come in" She said softly, he then closed the door behind us as he got inside.

"Let's take this to the kitchen I was just about to make a sandwich." Bonnie declared and went to the kitchen. I had been here enough times to feel at home, I went straight for her fridge and started gathering stuff to pack into a sandwich of my own. Cream cheese, onions, salat, tomatoes and chicken slices with just a little bit of curry sauce. I got to working on the sandwich as Stefan sat in front of us, behind the bar-like table Bonnie had between dinning room and kitchen.

"I see you both have some questions, just ask away and I'll answer to the best of my abilities" he said in a regal tone.

"Me first!" I exclaimed, Bonnie laughed at me of course, but I had to know, "How do you survive the sun? Elena got burned badly from a single ray!" And judging by the reaction Bonnie had, stopping mid-salat-cut, I hadn't thought my question through. She didn't know yet, well, cat's out of the bag.

"Elena got burned from the sun?!" She yelled loudly, and then continued in a more level voice, "So that's what this is about" she sighed, "I can't help with that Stefan, sorry" She looked down solemnly, and Stefan did the same.

"Wait, What do you mean you can't help with that Bonnies? This is Elena for Christ sake!" I demanded.

"To answer the first question" he started and lifted his left hand leaning his elbow on the table, "See this?" he padded his ring a few times and I nodded, "It allows me to walk around unharmed in the sun. If I take it off and give it to anyone else and will just be a regular ring, but to me it protects me from the suns harm. That's why I came to a Bennett to have another one made for Elena." He explained slowly.

"Alright, I get that. Magic ring, sunblock factor a thousand, for your sensitive vampire complexion. But that doesn't explain what you wanted with Bonnie." I said, I could put two and two together, he said a Bennett like he knew them personally and Bonnie's a Bennett, but I'd rather hear it from Bonnie.

"You're smart Care, you're just asking out of politeness, aren't you? Don't answer that, of course you are. Yes, I'm from an extensive bloodline of witches, although I have no magic in me. So, as it stands I can't help Elena. Sorry" She said, once again looking completely deflated. But it did answer how she didn't react more strongly to the news.

I went quiet as I finished my sandwich and sat myself next to Stefan as Bonnies finished her more elaborate sandwich. I quietly chewed and swallowed bite after bite as Bonnie and Stefan tried to brainstorm on how to get Elena a ring of her own. I didn't pay attention, they were on the future path of problems, what I was thinking about was the more pressing matter, sustenance for Elena. She needed to eat something, and I doubted that a regular ol' sandwich would cut it. I had seen her looking both scary and scared at the same time. Yet all I could think was how pretty she looked even with pale skin, red eyes and fangs. Is it strange that I want her to bite me?

As soon as the thought entered my mind I reeled back knocking the barstool over and stumbling back a few steps. What is wrong with me? My friend is having a life changing experience happening to her and here I am getting bi-curious. Two pairs of eyes looked at me with curiosity and strange fascination over my little outburst.

"What?!" I snapped and raised the stool upright again before plopping unfashionably down on it again.

"Nothing, just. That was a kind of strong reaction to have over a simple question of which one is going to give a blood-bag to Elena." Stefan said.

"Oh, I'll do that. I promised her earlier anyway that I'd come back before the sun disappeared."

"Of course. Bonnie you'll check in with your distant family then?" He asked as he stood from his chair.

"Yes, as soon as I hear anything I will contact you." Bonnie smiled at him and shook his hand goodbye.

"Great. Caroline, come with me then, I've got some extra stashed away at my place. Take your sandwich with you, if the bags won't be enough you'll need your strength at least." He chuckled ominously. I just nodded silently and grabbed the half-eaten sandwich off the plate. I gave Bonnie a quick kiss on the cheek, told her good luck and soon enough Me and Stefan was on the way to his residence to get something to eat for Elena. How is she doing right now I wonder.

"How does it taste?" I asked to distract myself.

"Blood?"

"Mhm"

"Well, you know how it tastes when you prick your finger and you lick it off?" I nodded at his question, "It's a little like that. Only we can taste the slight variation in diets a certain person has. As an example, your blood smells absolutely exquisite" he chuckled when I wiped my head around to face him, "I'm on a strict animals-only diet so don't worry. I'm surprised Elena didn't tear into you as soon as she woke up, a newborns sense of control is weak, and the hunger is strong. Did she seem, predatory to you at any point, as in about to eat you?" This time he gathered his eyebrows as he was clearly thinking about something.

"Come to think of it I believe she was about to, twice, but the sun burned her and tore her focus away from me the first time. The second time was just before I left, she asked me to leave and her vampire face was back. So, I kind of just hauled ass out of there." I explained, hoping that he could get some idea of the state she was in.

"That means she's going to be very hungry when we get there, perhaps you, coming along with me won't be the best decision." He contemplated out loud, focusing on the road and not me.

"No, I'm going and that's final. I promised her, and I don't break promises to Elena." I huffed and crossed my arms in defiance, turning my eyes to the passing trees. He could fight me all he wanted on this, but I was going!

"Only Elena?" He asked smirking at me.

"What?" I snapped.

"Are you only keeping the promises you make to Elena?" he still had his focus on the road, but he glanced over as he asked me.

"No! I didn't say that!" I deflected, I may have but that was unintentional. That was supposed to be hidden away. We're best friends nothing more, nothing less. Just. Friends.

"I won't press it. Sorry. I still think I should take the blood to her alone." That was the last words I heard from him until we got to his mansion. I wanted to ask if it was his and tell him how pretty I was, but I didn't trust myself to speak. My nerves were on end, the sun was slowly creeping behind the horizon and I still didn't know what I could do to help Elena and her new problem with school attendance. Following behind Stefan seemed to be the only thing I could deal with at the moment. The Mansion wasn't overly huge, but it was more than enough space for one person. Hell, it would have been enough space for 10. The hallway I was deposited in as he went to get some blood was nice, it had a large multicolored old-school rug. A few plants and a small table with a single shelf underneath the tabletop full of books. And of course, a large shoe rack, again with enough space for many pairs.

I was keeping an eye on the sun, still over the horizon but now close enough that the bottom of the sun was just beginning to disappear. Soon it would be dark, and if it was safe for Elena to go out there's no doubt she would do it, she had been cooped up for a while now and she was always the active outdoorsy type. She wouldn't be able to resist leaving, and then she wouldn't be able to stop the hunger. I had to hurry along.

"Stefan, hurry up please!" I yelled out but got no answer, he must be in the back of the house somewhere. I was about to move further into the house when he suddenly rounded the corner with a plastic-bag full of red liquid. It looked thick, and it moved around like slush-ice. I couldn't help the bile that rose in my throat over the thought of Elena living off of blood. I would have to suck it up and deal with it, so that's what I did.

"Great, now hurry, we have to get to Elena's house before she decides to leave." I said, and he nodded, quickly exiting the house and jumping in the car we drove towards Elena. Hoping to catch her in time.

"Don't worry so much Caroline, I'm sure she's fine." He smiled at me as we turned up her road and my fidgeting increased.

"I know, I know. That doesn't mean I don't worry." I sounded scared, I didn't want to think about what would happen if we were late. But the blinds were still drawn and the front door was closed. I grabbed the bag out of his hand, practically jumped out of the car and ran to the house not even registering the warnings Stefan yelled at me. Knocking lightly, calling out, "Elena? Honey, I bring gifts" I tried to joke, but the door flung open and a very vampire-looking Elena grabbed my collar and pulled me in, carrying me to the couch and tossing me lazily through the air as if I was weighing the same as a mobile phone.

"Elena?" I asked feeling scared of the very inhuman eyes. The tip of her tongue darted out to wet her lips as she jumped on top of me faster than I could react. She held her hands on my shoulders and put her bodyweight on my thighs. I couldn't move, I could only observe as Elena cocked her head sideways. She just stared at me, straight into my eyes. She didn't make a move to eat directly from me, she acted more like a cat in a playful mood. She leaned over me again and pulled both of my hands above my head, putting a hand on top of my layered wrists. She used the now free, right hand of hers to drag a nail down the shell of my ear, across my cheek and used her thumb to graze my bottom lip, parting it lightly from the other one. It all felt very sensual and hot. Out of nowhere her face was mere inches from my own, she moved a little to the right and then moved forward, enough to hide her face from my vision with turning my head. I could hear her nostrils widen and take in a deep breath, a breath that sent a shutter through her body, a spasm of sorts, involuntary but powerful.

I knew, this was it, this is how I was going to do, until I heard Stefan yell from the front door, "ELENA STOP! CAROLINE RIP OPEN THE BAG!"

Of course. He hadn't been invited in, he couldn't help me even if he wanted to. I was at Elena's mercy and I fucking loved every second of it, the thrill, the danger. I never knew I would like it, but I did. Adrenaline coursed through me and my heartbeat was racing. I pinched two nails together around the edge of the bag and lifted it from the floor next to the couch. Grabbed it with both hands and pulled hard at the cap-like top. Opening the bag made Elena's fangs protrude in a soft hiss as she threw her head back. A second later her face was turned towards the bag and not me. Even if the thrill had been exciting, a predator is only amused by it's prey for so long, and when the play stops that's when you should really be scared. For now, my hands were free. Elena had snatched the bag and released me, still sitting on my legs but now focused on the blood in the bag and not in my veins. I let out a sigh and relaxed back into the couch throwing an arm across my eyes laughing softly. This was going to be rough.

* * *

 **AN:** Throwing this idea out there to see the reception. I have other stories I'm trying to figure out but my focus has been on real life these past few months and I just got back into writing for fun. And over the weekend I got roped into watching a few episodes of TVD, hence the story-idea. Let me know what you think. Hope you enjoyed.


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